Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup – Connoisseurus Veg

With tender broccoli florets, a rich and creamy texture, and zippy cheesy flavor, you’ll never miss the dairy in this luscious vegan broccoli cheddar soup!

When I was growing up, I literally used to buy a box of prepackaged powdered broccoli cheese soup mix (intended to feed around four people) cook it up, and eat the whole pot, all by myself. Oh, the joys of being young.

This vegan broccoli cheddar soup is SO much better than those boxed soup mixes I used to eat. My sixteen year old self would’ve gladly taken this over the junky packaged (but, let’s be honest, delicious) stuff I was so fond of eating at the time. And I think I wouldn’t have even known that this version dairy-free.

Let’s talk about how it’s made!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Olive oil. You can substitute with another high-heat oil, such as canola or coconut oil if you’d like.
• Onion.
• Garlic.
• Vegetable broth.
• Potato. We’re using a russet potato because it’s super starchy and will give our soup the best silky texture.
• Carrot.
• Raw cashews. It’s really important that they’re raw. Roasted cashews will mess with the flavor of your soup.
• Non-dairy milk. Use something that’s unsweetened and unflavored. I like this soup best with almond milk.
• Nutritional yeast flakes. Don’t confuse these with baker’s yeast — they’re two totally different things! Nutritional yeast will add a savory, cheesy flavor to your soup. Look for it in the natural foods section of your supermarket.
• Hot sauce. A mild, vinegar based hot sauce works best, and will actually add to the cheesy flavor of your soup. It will add a little kick though, so if you can’t handle the heat add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice instead. I’m a big fan of Cholula in this soup.
• White miso paste. This will also make your soup taste extra cheesy. Look for it in the international foods section of your supermarket. If you absolutely insist on skipping this ingredient you’ll need to season the soup with extra salt.
• Broccoli. The recipe calls for fresh broccoli, because that’s what works best in this recipe. However, if you happen to have some frozen broccoli on hand that you’d like to use up, just thaw it and drain any excess water before adding it to your soup. It will only need a very brief simmer to heat up once you add it to the soup.
• Salt & pepper.
• Fresh chives. These are totally optional, but they make a great topping for vegan broccoli cheese soup.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

• Start by heating your oil in a large pot and adding diced onion. Sweat the onion for a few minutes, until it starts to soften up, then add the garlic and cook everything for a minute more.
• Stir in the broth, chopped and peeled potato, chopped carrot, and raw cashews. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup until the veggies are soft.

Note: Lots of recipes will have you soak your cashews in water before getting started, but that’s not required here because we’re boiling them instead. Soaking won’t hurt anything though, so feel free to do it if you’re concerned about texture. Just cover them with water and let them sit for 4 to 8 hours, rinse, then drain them.

• Transfer your soup to a blender or food processor and blend everything together until smooth. Always be super careful when blending hot liquids.

• Return your soup to the pot and stir in the milk, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, miso paste, and milk. Keep stirring until everything has been incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
• Add the broccoli florets and continue simmering until they’re bright green and tender.

• Take the pot off of the burner, season the soup with salt and pepper, and adjust any other seasonings to your liking.
• Top your soup with chopped fresh chives and dig in!

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover vegan broccoli cheddar soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Video!

Want more guidance on how to make my vegan broccoli cheddar soup? Check out the video!

More Cheesy Vegan Soups

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Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

With tender broccoli florets, a rich and creamy texture, and zippy cheesy flavor, you’ll never miss the dairy in this luscious vegan broccoli cheddar soup!

Ingredients

• 2
  tablespoons
  olive oil
• 1
  medium onion,
  diced
• 3
  garlic cloves,
  minced
• 4
  cups
  vegetable broth
• 1
  medium russet potato (about 12 ounces),
  peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1
  medium carrot,
  chopped
• ½
  cup
  raw cashews
• 1
  cup
  unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ¼
  cup
  nutritional yeast flakes
• 2
  tablespoons
  vinegar based hot sauce (such as Cholula)*,
  or to taste
• 3
  tablespoons
  white miso paste
• 4
  cups
  fresh broccoli florets
  (about 1 large crown)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chives,
  for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat.

2. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Sweat the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add the garlic and cook it with the onion for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.

4. Add the vegetable broth and stir in the potato, carrot, and cashews. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, uncovered, until the carrot and potato are tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Working in batches if needed, carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. 

6. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the milk, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, and miso paste, followed by the the broccoli.

7. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the broccoli is tender and the soup thickens up a bit, about 7 minutes.

8. Remove the pot from heat and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Recipe Notes

*Add a splash of vinegar instead for a heat-free version of this soup.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 377
Calories from Fat 160

% Daily Value*

Fat 17.8g27%

Saturated Fat 3g15%

Sodium 1826mg76%

Potassium 1.69mg0%

Carbohydrates 45.1g15%

Fiber 8.3g33%

Sugar 9.1g10%

Protein 16.9g34%

Calcium 80mg8%

Iron 5.2mg29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.